Publication:

Awareness among paediatricians in South India about symptoms and screening of autism spectrum disorders

Background Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder with a complex clinical presentation and rising frequency. When it comes to early detection and intervention, pediatricians are essential. This study evaluated the Awareness Among Pediatricians in South India About Symptoms and Screening of Autism Spectrum Disorders.

Methods Using a semi-structured questionnaire and the Knowledge about Childhood Autism among Health Workers (KCAHW) survey, 204 pediatricians from five South Indian states participated in a cross-sectional study. Using SPSS software, awareness was examined across professional experience, training exposure and demographic characteristics.

Results Most participants were under 45 years (52.9%), with female pediatricians constituting 54.4%.  High awareness was noted for treatment modalities (91.7%), but misconceptions existed about screening tools 35.3% misclassified tools like M-CHAT and TABC as diagnostic. Those with 11–20 years of experience and those with autism-related training had significantly higher awareness scores. Participants over 60 and those with more than 30 years of practice had significantly lower awareness.

Conclusions There are still significant gaps in screening information, even though overall awareness of ASD therapy was sufficient. Awareness was greatly raised by taking part in autism-specific training, underscoring the necessity of ongoing professional development aimed at managing and identifying ASD.